


Rules of Attraction

by HostilePoet17



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post Sleepers, Teslen - Freeform, Teslen Appreciation Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 20:39:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16456835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HostilePoet17/pseuds/HostilePoet17
Summary: “Helen, it’s not often that I would propose such a thing, but here it is. Shoot me.”Nikola comes to terms with his new abilities.Follows on from Sleepers (S2E10).





	Rules of Attraction

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the prompt for Day 4 of Teslen Appreciation Week - Magnetism! 
> 
> Unbeta'd - mistakes all mine!

“Helen, it’s not often that I would propose such a thing, but here it is. Shoot me.”

Helen rolled her eyes and looked up at the former vampire currently standing before her desk. “A tempting offer,” she replied drily.

“I’m serious, Helen. You have my express invitation to shoot me. How often does that happen?”

She hummed in faux contemplation before returning her gaze to the journal before her. “I’d rather not, I’m not in the mood for it.”

“Helen.”

She gave a sigh and leaned back in her chair, looking to him once more. “Nikola.”

He smirked and splayed his arms out. “I would greatly appreciate it if you could rustle up some of that deliciously tempestuous bloodlust of yours and shoot me.”

“Pray do tell what you intend to gain from my shooting you? Hm? Have you miraculously regained your healing abilities, or has your depressive spell taken an unexpected and rather macabre twist?”

“I’m not quite that self-destructive, thank you very much. It’s an experiment in my magnetism!”

“And how will my shooting at you play a role in this experiment?”

Though his vampiric attributes were lost to him, the feral fanged smile remained. “Well, dear Helen, my intention is to harness my magnetic capabilities to deflect the oncoming bullets! I think it’ll be the best test of my control.”

She sighed and fixed him with a withering look. “Really, Nikola? Two nights after discovering these new powers, you want to put them to the test by going head to head with _bullets_? Two nights after, I might add, being stuck to a bloody serving tray for the better part of twenty minutes. Or how about the theatrics with the teaspoon the next morning? And don’t think Henry hasn’t mentioned the trouble you’ve been having in the lab. I’d rather spare myself the trouble of having to mop up your blood, thank you very much.”

He scoffed in disgust and straightened up, placing his hands on his hips. “Helen Magnus, you intolerable killjoy. You have shot me numerous times in the many years we’ve known each other, destroyed some rather excellent suits, I might add, and often shot me when it wasn’t even merited --”

“Oh, Nikola, it was always merited.”

“--and here I am, standing before you, all but presenting myself with a gift bow and a target upon my head, and you refuse? Callous!”

Helen laughed, shaking her head. “My goodness, I’d hoped the penchant for theatrics would have settled somewhat with your new mortal self, but you’re worse than ever. I’m not going to shoot you, Nikola. End of discussion.”

“Helen, I cannot believe that you of all people are being so...so... _cavalier_ about exploring Abnormal abilities! Doesn’t it thrill you? Excite you? Aren’t you craving the greater understanding of these newfound powers?”

“You truly want to explore your powers to the fullest?” She asked, suddenly leaning forward and meeting his eyes with laser-sharp focus. “To gain the utmost insight into what you’re capable of, and how to bend your abilities to your will?”

His gaze darkened and he mirrored her movements, bracing his hands against the desk and he arched closer to her. “Yes,” he murmured. “That’s what I want.”

She licked her lips, watching him carefully, watching his eyes dart to her mouth and then back to hers. “Do you want me to help you? To uncover all the secrets of your powers with you?”

“Please.”

Helen reached out and pressed her hand to his chest, brushing her thumb against the coarse wool of his waistcoat. Above her, Nikola swayed slightly, his throat bobbing as he swallowed nervously.

“Shall we do it then?” She asked in a low voice, tracing delicate shapes against his lapel. “Delve into the great unknown together? Solve the very mysteries of your being?”

Nikola’s eyes fluttered shut and he gave a slight nod. Helen smirked and eased away from him.

“If you insist, let’s put that control of yours to the test.”

A paperclip bounced off of Nikola’s forehead. His eyes snapped open in confusion.

Helen gave him a smug smile before swiping another paperclip from her desk and tossing it at him. “Come on, Nikola. Get your head in the game, exercise some _control_. You should be stopping these in their path, no?”

He frowned at her. “Hilarious.”

“I’m not firing a gun at you, you absolute bloody idiot. You want to prove you can control projectiles, fine. We’ll start with paperclips. You get paperclips under your control, we’ll try teaspoons.” She lobbed another one at him, which hit him square in the face. “Good heavens, are you even trying?”

“You might have vampire blood in you, Helen Magnus, but you’re a damned witch if I ever met one.”

“Oh, stop scowling at me. I’m being serious about this, let’s put your powers to the test. Focus on the paperclips, Nikola.” She swiped up another, firing it towards him. She tutted as it bounced off of his shoulder.

“You were seducing me!”

“Oh, barely. You truly are an easy target in so many more ways than one. Now, straighten up and refocus that blood flow of yours upwards. You’re going to need to concentrate for this. Now, stop the paperclips!”

 

Hours later, Nikola had recovered from his brief sulk and was overcoming Helen’s enthusiastic bombardment of stationery (what was a touch less enthusiastic was their attempts to retrieve the many paperclips which littered Helen’s office). Having eventually proven his competence over the trajectory of the stationery items, Helen sought out a tray of tea and biscuits for them to share, complete with a stack of silverware pilfered from the kitchen. Nikola took to the challenge of control the larger and denser objects, as Helen tossed spoons, knives, and forks in his direction. Once he had mastered the ability of stopping them mid-flight, he took to make them dance around the tea tray (which Helen had found amusing until he was knocking over teacups). Bolstered by his successes, he took to sending her letter opener zooming around the room, while Helen quietly worried that anyone who chose to visit her office this evening may find themselves the victim of an unexpected stabbing by an invisible assailant.

As the evening wore on, Helen accepted that the work on her desk was going to be left unfinished, and instead they settled in with a bottle of wine. Nikola made great entertainment for himself in sending the corkscrew on a clumsy flight about the room - a venture that became all the more hindered with each glass of wine.

“So, how are you feeling about your powers? You’ve done very well this evening.”

Nikola nodded, fiddling with the stem of his wineglass. “It was surprisingly enjoyable, albeit somewhat of a demotion from my previous glory.”

Helen shrugged. “You have to admit, mastering magnetism is a touch more appealing than the early days of trying to manage your newfound bloodlust.”

“I suppose,” he conceded, reclining against the sofa. “It’s always nice to find a new way to impress you. Must keep finding ways to spice things up after a century, you know.”

She laughed. “Indeed. It’s also novel to see you so tired at last!”

He glanced over at her with a raised brow. “Tired?”

“Nikola, you’re clearly exhausted. You’ve made wonderful progress with your powers, it’s little surprise it’s drained your energy.”

He scoffed. “I don’t get _tired,_ Helen. I’m fine.”

“Ah, but there’s the rub - you’re mortal now.”

“Must you keep reminding me?”

“It may be worth reminding you that you mustn’t push yourself too far,” she pointed out. “Besides, it’s rather lovely to see you so…”

“Impotent? Dejected?”

“Fallible.”

He gave a hiss. “That’s insulting.”

She shrugged. “It’s true, Nikola. You had a tendency to push past your limits even as a vampire. I think you need to re-evaluate that behaviour in light of your new limitations. You’ll need rest, sleep, food, water. You’ll need to pace yourself because your destructive behaviours will undo you.”

Nikola rolled his eyes at her, taking a sip of wine. “Yes, mother.”

“I’m serious. You’ve obviously not paid much thought to this matter, else you wouldn’t have walked in here asking that I shoot you. Don’t overestimate your readiness, Nikola. That bravado of yours won’t serve you well.”

“Has anybody ever told you that you leech the fun right out of anything?”

“Hm, let me see, you every time I advise you not to do something ridiculous?”

“What you call ridiculous is often brilliantly groundbreaking.”

“I think the jury is out on that,” she smiled. Straightening in her seat, she patted his knee gently. “Right, I have a few bits and pieces that need my attention before I retire to bed. I trust you’ll go to bed at a reasonable hour and not seek any of my staff out to use you as target practice?”

“I guarantee nothing, but, of course, you could always oversee my actions and come to bed with me?” He offered with a wink.

Helen chuckled. “I’ll pass, thanks. Goodnight, Nikola.” She stood up, and stepped past him.

Nikola leaned his head back against the cushions, watching her leave. “ _Slatki snovi._ ”

She smiled back at him, opening the door to her office.

“Oh, and Helen?”

She glanced back. “Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Her smile grew warmer. “Any time.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Serbian dialogue from Nikola translates to "sweet dreams" (if Google Translate is to be trusted!).


End file.
